He endedu00a0up playing the next six world cups. Yesterday, vs Netherlands, he became the first man to score 2000+ runs in the tournament

Sachin Tendulkar takes the aerial route against Netherlands in Delhi yesterday. pic/afp

Yesterday was a memorable day for Sachin Tendulkar since he became the first player to score 2000 plus runs in World Cup cricket. So will October 17, 1987 be in a World Cup context. For, it was on this day that he watched his first World Cup match in a stadium. Tendulkar, then 14, was chosen as a ball boy for the India versus Zimbabwe game at the Wankhede Stadium.

According to Prakash Kelkar, a member of Mumbai's cricketing fraternity, only under-16 boys 'qualified' for ball boy duty, but he was keen on getting Tendulkar and his chum Vinod Kambli to man the boundary line.

"I was keen on getting Sachin and Vinod to come as ball boys for the match because of their exploits in inter-school cricket. I went to Ramakant Achrekar Sir for permission and he willingly made them available," said Kelkar, who was then in charge of John Bright Cricket Club.

"Sachin was thrilled when he entered the stadium. I still remember his expression. It was as if he had been given everything in life," said Kelkar, who was in charge of the ball boys then.

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